The Guide of Argos

Chapter 17

Nova's POV:

He shook his head in dismay at the vile incompetency of his lord. What was Argos thinking, luring an ordinary 13-year-old to his base? Sure, he did sign a contract with him, but it was under the assumption that his little sister, Iris would not be harmed. He never agreed to be working with forces the Heavenly Court thought of as no more than vermin—the Abyssal army no less. Throughout his childhood in Valemont, he has been told of the unparalleled destruction the Abyss has brought throughout the time-space reality during the Vindication of Aegeros under their leader, the Arch-Queen of Daern. He gripped his gloved fists tighter, trying to find a way out of the chaos he caused. For the time being, however, he is a slave to his fool of an uncle. He had only tried to get vengeance on Uxor for sending his friends to their deaths against Scipos. His subordinate, an Antersdam native by the name of Raymond, ran inside and kneeled before him 

"Your Majesty, the fleet is about to depart," he declared, the passion clear in his voice as he anticipated Nova's response.

""Very well, Nova responded, closing his eyes as he focused on all that's transpired the last 500 years. He has seen too much pain and suffering for them to give up yet. So no matter what, he will defeat the Heavenly Army and their puppets. For the people have been deluded for too long now under the guise of false gods who do nothing for the benefit of their worshippers. Nova puts a hand to his head, malicious feelings taking control over his body. Suddenly his eyes started turning a familiar shade of violet as Argos started talking through him. "The elves will suffer the wrath of the Army of Darkness." In an instant, Nova's spear appeared in his hands as if summoned by magic, and so several bolts of lightning shot out of his spear, opening a portal to summon the abyssal army. 

The Arch-Queen stepped out first, hundreds of thousands of beast-like men poring out behind her, their shapes ranging from snakes to large, vicious tigers, holding various crude iron weaponry, like axes and halberds, seemingly forged at an instant, as well as some primative armor, as the hard stone and wood would prove no match against the well-trained Ch'ara-Mythralis-Antersdam coalition's armed forces. The Arch-Queen especially looked gruesome, as her skin has turned grey, her hair seems like it could dissolve at any minute, and her obsidian black eyes possess little sense of humanity if at all. She wore a dull black dress, torn and wore from many centuries of war with the Heavenly Court, in addition to a pyrite mask that hardly covers her war-torn face and a crown of molten iron burned across her scalp as a sign of the heavenly punishment the abyss suffered through after the sack of Aegeros, the ancient capital of the Elves. Despite wanting to kill her as much as possible, Argos prevents him from moving even a muscle as he controls Nova's every movement Careful now, Argos echoed within his mind We wouldn't want to lose the war, not when we're this close to victory.Remember our contract, Nova? With a growl, he lowered his spear, his body still trying his hardest to fight back against Argos in vain, as he was forced to greet the ruler of the Abyss with respect. 

"Lady Ifsha, it is an honor for you to arrive here to my humble abode." said  Argos as he spoke through Nova.

The Arch-Queen was unmoved by this gesture, instead silently commanding her armies to attack various strongholds allied with Ch'ara to prevent a larger confrontation. The main army, led by a Scipilan (a scorpion beast man) by the name of Erkheart, is to besiege the fortress city of Aeos Gaerd, one of the most loyal bannermen to Ch'ara, while separate contigments will attack Kylistopolis, Ironsvale and Drakyn's Harbor, part of the Elven Empire, The Kingdom of Lapis, and the Ravensgrove Confederation respectably. The Abyss is said to never accept any surrender and have orders to butcher and burn whole cities to the ground, having no use for any of the mortal resources provided by the cities or their hinterlands, being nothing more than a blazing path of destruction. As he boarded his flagship, The Rising Star, he couldn't help but wonder how things would have gone if he hadn't signed this contract, Cyril. I'm sorry.I failed you. Just thinking of his long-deceased boyfriend brought him to tears as he started to fight back harder against Argos' control. Argos, however, stunned him in an instant, shaming his own grandson for being so soft and mortal-like in a crisis like this. Nova was now unable to do anything in his power to resist, as his mind was trapped in a large twisting labrinth made of emerald green Elementium, with many obstacles within the maze to give Argos as much time as possible to enact his plan. With all three of Argo's artifacts returned to him, courtesy of Raymond, it allowed him to grow beyond the strength of even Aeos, the god of creation.